- Introduction
In the compliance of the announcement of Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan during his visit to Muzaffarabad on 08-09 October 2009 and on the implementation of his directive no 2416 pertaining the establishment of AJK Textbook Board, the Government of AJK enforced AJK Textbook Board Ordinance 2010.
Textbooks are aften the only teaching learning material used in our classroom. Thus it is important to ensure their quality vis the appearance, the content, the pedagogical approach they recommended. All these aspects of a textbook shape the learning experience of the students. Textbook is an important and most widdly used teaching aid. It will be no exaggeration to say that textbooks have become ends in education. A textbook is probably cheapest and most reliable source of information. It help the student to acquire the required information with speed.
A Textbook specifies the students expected to be attained by a particular class. It also gives suggestion about the use of various teaching aid and activities to be undertaken. It provide a syllabus for the course because the authors of the syllabus have made decision about what will be learned and in what order. The policy of textbook board will facilitate curriculum implementation and assurance of quality and error free Textbooks.
The Provision of textbooks is inadequate and seriously constrains the quality of education. English, mathematics and sciences are identified as core subjects that effect student’s overall performance.
2. Objective
- Provide Quality & Standard Textbooks.
- Establishment of institution for implementation Gov’t Policy toward, quality Education through quality Textbooks.
- To identify & bring on board the breeds of the textbook authors in AJK
- To provide quality Textbooks & Training Material to the Children, at competitive rates. To enlist the pool of publishers/printers/distributers to ensure timely & smoothly supply of Textbooks.
- To develop quality Textbooks & learning material in the context of AJK.
- Training of Authors, Reviewers, Proof readers, Editors, along with guidelines
- Arrangement for the publication of textbooks for all stages and types of education and teacher training courses as detail here under.
- Elementary Education (ECE to VIII)
- Secondary Education (IX-X)
- Higher Secondary Education (XI-XII)
- Teacher Training Courses.
- Education of handicap children
- Adult Education
- Production of Supplementary material relating to the textbooks.
- Conducting of training courses for the Authors, Reviewers and Writer of the textbook.
- Preparation and publication of reading material on new development in educational concept and teaching methods and techniques.
- Conduction of workshop, seminar and courses for dissemination of curriculum and effective use of Textbooks and reading materials.
- Mission of Textbook Board
Education is a vital investment, in terms of both human and economic development. There are six basic pillars that contribute for raising the quality of education. These are teacher, curriculum, textbooks, assessment and learning environment in an institution and relevance of education to practical life / employment market. The basic functions of the AJK Textbook Board are to make arrangements for the production and publication of textbooks for class I to XII at affordable prices and their timely availability in both private and public sectors.
- Vision
To prepare the future generation by preserving Ideology, Culture, Belief & Values to enable them to co-opt with new millennium challenges.
- Need Textbook Board for AJK
Every province of Pakistan has its own Textbook Board for Developing textbooks, teacher guides and other teaching learning material for student and teacher in the light of provincial context. Each provincial Textbook Board is responsible to provide best quality Textbooks and learning material.
The State of Jammu and Kashmir consist of 10 District and 27 Tehsil. The State has its own Legislative Assembly and administrative set-up. The State has well managed Educational set-up including Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education and 10 Elementary Education Boards.
Federal Ministry of Education Curriculum wing has developed subject wise new Curriculum from grade I to XII. It is hectic task to monitor, Supervise and develop the textbook according to new Curriculum and new Textbook Policy. For the important national task the state is in dire need of establishing a responsible organization (Textbook Board) like other provinces of Pakistan,
- Function of Textbook Board
The key functions of Textbook Board are as follows:
- Implementation of educational policies of the Government in respect of the production of textbooks, supplementary reading material and teaching aids
- Publication of textbooks for the following
- Primary Education
- Secondary Education
- Intermediate Education
- Teacher’s Training Courses
- Production of supplementary material relating to the textbooks
- Production of reference and research material relating to the problems of curricula and preparation of textbooks
- Control of the policy, relating to distribution of textbooks and other material. Appointment of agencies for this purpose in Punjab so as to make the textbooks and material available to the students well in time
- Holding of training courses for the writers of textbooks
- Preparation and publication of reading material on new developments in educational concepts and teaching methods and techniques
- Workshops, seminars and courses for effective use of textbooks and reading materials
- Conduct research in curricula, textbooks, other reading materials and teaching aids
- Exhibitions of textbooks and teaching materials
- Maintenance of Library and Resource Centre upto 30,000 titles on
- Reference books
- Textbooks
- Maps, charts, diagrams etc
- Educational journals
- Educational periodical
- Supplementary Reading Material
- Work Books
Textbook Development Process
- Advertisement for Manuscripts submission.
- Intend from Publishers
- Submission of Manuscripts.
- KRC ( Kashmir Review Committee)
- NRC ( National Review Committee)
- Select Committee
- NOC
- Selection / Competition of best Textbooks.
- Pilot Testing
- Refining
- Printing
- Enforcement of Textbooks
Textbook Board
The first learning resource that students get in their hands when they enter a school is a textbook. Most of their future academic life will be focused on textbooks with a high probability of experiencing a single textbook for each subject. School systems in most developed countries consider the textbook as part of a variety of tools used for teaching and learning. Most developing countries, on the other hand, consider a textbook to be the sole primary resource for students as well as for teachers. This perceived role of a textbook increases its significance and necessitates the introduction and institutionalization of quality-focused processes for the development of textbooks.
Quality Textbooks
While there is increased awareness concerning the importance of high quality textbooks and other learning materials that support the teaching and learning process in the classrooms, the subject of their quality has plagued many resource-poor education systems. It is essential to identify what quality entails for a textbook and how quality material is defined, recognized, produced and endorsed
Textbook quality is defined in terms of educational objectives, social needs, and compliance with up-to-date teaching practices and theories. A textbook can also be the beacon that defines the way lessons are planned and taught. Textbooks serve not only as a knowledge resource but also help develop a child’s potential and higher order thinking abilities, in addition to shaping and framing their attitudes and personalities
A Resource for Students
Students rely heavily on textbooks as their source for essential information and as the basis for appraisal and examination. In the absence of other learning materials the importance of textbooks significantly increases. Textbooks provide students with facts and knowledge, and additionally provide examples of several exercises and assignments for students to practice what they have learnt. The textbooks must be designed to be student-centred.
A Resource for Teachers
Textbooks serve as the primary teaching resource for teachers as well, guiding their teaching process and helping them plan lessons and in setting lesson objectives. Textbooks are also the key resource of assistance for under-qualified and under-trained teachers as they set out the general guidelines of the syllabus in a concrete form. Teachers find textbooks particularly useful because they provide order and pacing of instruction and serve as a structured framework for teaching throughout the academic year.
POLICY FRAMEWORK OF TBB
5.1 Policy Goal
The policy goal is to direct the effective and efficient planning and management of the national selection, provision and distribution of textbooks and other LSMs so as to achieve the highest standards, best value and equity in the selection, procurement and delivery of all LSMs to assist and facilitate quality learning across the curriculum for the benefit of all learners and teachers. The overall objective of the policy is to ultimately achieve a textbook to learner ratio of 1:1 for core subjects in the first instance. At primary level this would mean eight textbooks per learner and at secondary level thirteen. With the introduction of curriculum changes over the past few years and the lack of information on current textbooks inventories at school level it is difficult to project the investment needed to reach and sustain the ideal ratios. In future the revision of curricula and textbooks will be aligned.
5.2 Guiding Principles
All aspects of LSMs management and the provision of LSMs to schools need to acknowledge the integrity of an integrated LSMs supply chain cycle. LSMs, their selection, procurement, distribution, use, coordination and management are central to improving educational standards, equality of access and improving the efficiency of the system. With the right LSMs, in the right place at the right time, teachers can be expected to provide a holistic teaching and learning environment which responds to the needs of the curriculum. In the process they will be providing all learners with the essential foundation literacy and numeracy skills that they need to gain full benefit from their educational programme and gain the skills to compete effectively in a knowledge-based economy. All learners, irrespective of any special educational and other needs they may have, should have access to relevant and appropriate LSMs. The essential LSMs will be specified in the curricula.
- Policy Objectives
A policy objective of the AJ&K TBB is to promote the cost effective and timely supply of good quality, relevant curriculum materials to all learners and teachers as a basis for the teaching and learning of skills vital to personal, social and national development in a knowledge-based economy. Towards this end the TBB ensures the following:
- Provide guidelines for text book authors.
- Equal access to quality LSMs for all learners in all schools, in all regions of AJ&K.
- Textbook supply chain (procurement and distribution) is managed efficiently and transparently and provides best value for money while catalyzing the growth of the indigenous publishing industry so as to contribute to the improvement in the quality of educational opportunities and learning outcomes.
- Improve the efficiency of educational management and administration at every stage of the supply chain process.
- That the best value and educationally relevant LSMs are made available to all learners.
- To broaden access to LSMs and other reading materials to improve the reading culture in schools.
- That those learners with special educational needs are catered for.
- That LSMs are attractive and durable and reflect current, regional and international perspectives and approaches.
- To increase the annual per-learner allocation for LSMs.
- To establish an autonomous and independent National Textbook Board whose members will represent a wide range of stakeholders
- Priority Policy Strategies
The following strategies have been identified to achieve the objectives of the Textbook Policy:
- Govern all aspects of textbook development.
- Establishment of a supply chain management unit to take responsibility for ensuring all operational stages and logistical processes of the textbook supply chain are working in a synchronized and effective way.
- Provision of literacy materials.
- Teacher training and support especially for Grades 1–12 in order to improve functional literacy standards and the utilization of LSMs.
- Reviews of the existing policy on the curriculum development/reform and its articulation with the timetable for new textbook development, field testing and publication.
- Review of the policy on evaluation of textbooks by subject committees; and the purpose, design and functionality of the annual textbook catalogue.
- Tendering and contracting of textbook distributors including the introduction of a minimum of three-year tender in recognition of the major investment needed to establish efficient distribution, administration and logistics that must be amortised over a reasonable period.
- Use of the latest Education Management Information System) (EMIS) 15-day school survey enrolment data as well as the annual census to calculate the textbooks capitation allowance for schools based on an agreed transparent standardised formula and ring fenced.
- Modify collection of data for EMIS to monitor availability, utilisation and distribution of relevant textbooks annually.
- Establishment of performance and service standards with regard to all aspects of order processing and administration and the introduction of a system to monitor them.
- Engagement at regular intervals of a textbook development expert to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the field testing and use of textbooks provided to schools.
- Improvements in teacher:learner textbook ratios so as to achieve a 1:1 ratio for core subjects by 2015-2016
- Standard stock control practices apply to textbooks and LSMs.
The policy will be implemented with for in-state advisory support, on-the-job training, operational costs and textbook procurement.